Study suggests Driving Boom is over
(Philadelphia) — Americans are driving less.
A new study from the Pennsylvania Public Interest Research Group finds per-capita vehicles miles traveled peaked across the country 2004.
The group’s Ashley Afranie-Sakyi says per person driving miles in the commonwealth have fallen by more than 10 percent since 2005. The national average is about 7 percent.
Sakyi attributes the decrease to much more than the recent recession.
“Population density also, of course, plays a role,” she says. “When you live in urban areas and you have other options, why sit in traffic when you could be getting some work done on a bus or in a train or something like that.”
Other factors cited in the report include changes in technology and demographics.
It suggests the sharp decline in driving among Millenials — America’s largest generation — indicates the change is more than just a temporary interruption of driving patterns.
A collection of interviews, photos, and music videos, featuring local musicians who have stopped by the WITF performance studio to share a little discussion and sound. Produced by WITF’s Joe Ulrich.
